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90

GameSpy

The bottom line is that TMNT is an excellent game through and through. Even if you had a bunch of options on the GBA (which, sadly, you don't), it would still probably be your best bet for squeezing the last ounce of enjoyment out of the tired little guy. The good news is that it will play on your Nintendo DS, and that is great because both the DS and PSP versions of TMNT are utterly awful, so unlike PSP owners, at least you have the choice. Take it from someone that has spent his entire week playing TMNT games on every platform, this one is without question the best.

TMNT for the Game Boy Advance is one hell of a gaming surprise, coming out at what's pretty much assumed to be the tail end of the handheld's lifespan. It's an awesome throwback to old-school game design, but with tons of flair and technique to jazz up the experience into a contemporary piece. It's easily one of the best brawling games I've played in years, and had the designers managed full-fledged multiplayer support I think we could have seen the best Turtles ever. It's damn near close, though. Don't miss it.

Overall, on the scale of TMNT beat-‘em-ups, it definitely deserves to stand along with the earlier Konami TMNT beat-‘em-ups. I don’t know what happened to cause Konami to stop making good TMNT games, but they at least deserve credit for establishing the series as a key player in the beat-‘em-up genre. Now, Ubisoft, just abandon the 3D TMNTs and return to the golden age of the series. Please? 3D just does not work.

TMNT on the Game Boy Advance is a rousing beat-'em-up and a shining example of a movie-based game done right. The fisticuffs are fun, the presentation is sharp, and the story stays true to the comics and the recent movie without coming across as contrived. It won't take you hours and hours to finish the game for the first time, but the whole experience is so sweet that you'll want to do it all over again every now and then.

This is the type of game that was developed by a crew who loved their source material, and had fond memories of the crowded beat-em-up genre back in the early ‘90s. TMNT is a rare surprise for Game Boy Advance which is rarely anything else anymore than marketing material for a variety of cheaply constructed licensed junk. Kudos to the team for this fine and guaranteed to be overlooked gem.

One problem with this game is the enemy artificial intelligence (A.I.) — or rather, lack thereof — that makes the game too easy and monotonous, even when 10 enemies appear on-screen at the same time. The somewhat tougher boss characters you'll face from time to time can also be beaten with little effort. Granted, TMNT is more for kids than adults, but a game that costs up to $50 should offer some degree of challenge and replayability.

The urban environments look great, and you can interact with the obligatory crates and exploding barrels. Between stages you can shop for items and power-ups. TMNT held my attention for a while, but the never-ending thugs and frustrating bosses forced me to throw in the towel before getting too far. It's a shame, because TMNT could have been a winner if Ubisoft didn't emphasize game length over fun. Sound familiar?